A carved log uncovered during construction work at Boxford in Berkshire for years ago has been confirmed to be the oldest known piece of decoratively carved wood discovered in the UK, following radiocarbon dating caried out at Historic England's Fort Cumberland research establishment in Portsmouth. The log has been dated to between 4640 and 4605 BC, placing it within the Mesolithic period. The log is only the second piece of carved wood known from the Mesolithic of the UK, the other being another carved log uncovered at a Maerdy Wind Farm in Rhondda Cynon Taf in 2012, which is about 500 years younger than the Berkshire.
The log is a piece of carved Oak, measuring about a metre in length, 42 cm in width, and 20 cm thick. It was preserved within a layer of peat about 1.5 m beneath the ground surface. The log will go on display at the West Berkshire Museum, following the completion of conservation work at Fort Cumberland.
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